Portable/mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, camera phones, cameras, personal digital assistants (“PDA”s), etc., typically include output mechanisms to alert the user of certain events that occur with respect to the devices. For example, a cell phone normally includes a speaker for audibly notifying the user of an incoming telephone call event. The audible signal may include specific ringtones, musical ditties, sound effects, etc. In addition, cell phones may include display screens that can be used to visually notify the users of incoming phone calls.
In some mobile devices, kinesthetic feedback (such as active and resistive force feedback) and/or tactile feedback (such as vibration, texture, and heat) is also provided to the user, more generally known collectively as “haptic feedback” or “haptic effects”. Haptic feedback can provide cues that enhance and simplify the user interface. Specifically, vibration effects, or vibrotactile haptic effects, may be useful in providing cues to users of electronic devices to alert the user to specific events, or provide realistic feedback to create greater sensory immersion within a simulated or virtual environment. In order to generate vibration effects, many devices utilize some type of actuator/motor or haptic output device. Known actuators used for this purpose include a linear resonance actuator.